The grandson of the celebrated NYPD cop who helped inspire the hit 1970s TV series “Starsky and Hutch” became one of New York’s Finest Monday.

Quinn Ferrin — one of 884 proud rookies at the Police Academy graduation at Madison Square Garden — is following in the footsteps of the legendary John Sepe, whose small-screen alter ego was Starsky.

Sepe died at age 75 in July 2013. But his partner, Louis “Hutch’’ Telano, was at the graduation.

“I wish he were here instead of me,” Telano (above with Ferrin after the ceremony) told The Post.

Telano said he couldn’t have felt prouder had Ferrin been his own grandson.

Ferrin, whose first assignment will be patroling Brooklyn housing projects, knows he has a lot to live up to.

“I feel 100 percent prepared,’’ he said. “There’s a job to be done and we’re ready to go.”

He thanked Telano, 75, for attending.

“He went through a lot with my grandfather, particularly in the streets in the ’70s,” Ferrin said.

Sepe and Telano were known as the “The Lone Ranger and Tonto” and struck fear into criminals.

The partners would often dress in drag or wear the attire of Hasidic Jews. In one three-year period, they bagged more than 250 muggers, rapists and drug dealers. They also survived more than a dozen shootouts.

A newspaper profile led to a call from Hollywood, and the rest was history. But they eventually claimed the show ripped off their story without their permission. They sued and won undisclosed financial settlements.

Telano supports Ferrin’s career choice, but worries about his safety these days.

“It’s not a great feeling to go out and try to protect people of the City of New York when you feel you have no protection,’’ Telano said. “It’s more dangerous than confronting a criminal.’’